Investors love earning dividends, and over the past year, thousands of companies have rewarded shareholders with boosted payouts. But lately, some companies have been cutting back on or eliminating dividends altogether. Here's a look at five that made this unpopular move, and why.

Utility stocks were down Monday in the wake of the wicked winter storm that tossed the Northeast over the weekend. But it's on panicky days like these that long-term investors want to be taking a second look at utilities. Not only are they less volatile than fast-growing tech stocks, some pay hefty dividends.